As the world’s most comprehensive apparel fabrics and accessories event, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics has never failed to offer a wide range of sourcing options. The 2016 Autumn Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics is no exception, with a number of new suppliers from around the world enriching the product diversity this year. From 11 – 13 October, nearly 5,000 exhibitors from more than 25 countries and regions will showcase an array of products in 10 halls at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), occupying more than 260,000 sqm exhibition area.

As well as first-time participants, the returning features of the fair play a key part in its product diversity. Intertextile Shanghai’s showroom for premium products – SalonEurope – will be located in hall 6.2 this year, and its long-term members, including the Milano Unica Pavilion from Italy as well as France, Germany and Turkey pavilions, are set to return with a broad range of premium European-made fabrics and accessories.

Top industry players debut in Premium Wool Zone and Verve for Design

Also housed in SalonEurope are two product zones – Premium Wool Zone and Verve for Design. Both of these zones will introduce new exhibitors that extend the fair’s product selection. This year, the Premium Wool Zone will feature new and returning exhibitors from France, Japan, Peru, the UK and elsewhere. The new Japan participant Ichinomiya Fashion Design Foundation will exhibit outerwear items made from unique top-dyed yarn, double cloth, dobby and fancy tweed from the Bishu area of Japan, while another new exhibitor Harris Tweed Scotland Ltd from the UK is highlighting their colourful hand woven Harris Tweed fabrics for outerwear and accessories.

The Premium Wool Zone has become renowned in the industry as not only an exclusive stage for high-quality wool suppliers, but also an effective platform to boost brand awareness within the high potential Chinese market. Mr Ronald Hall, Managing Director of returning exhibitor Bower Roebuck & Co Ltd, explained: “The Chinese market is more demanding and knowledgeable nowadays in terms of fabrics and fabric uses, and is continually looking for new things. The Premium Wool Zone gives us a platform to proactively promote our company and products and allows us to portray our unique heritage, design and manufacturing capabilities to the market and to the correct customer base.” Mr Hall also revealed that the company will offer a new range of jacketing and coating fabrics for winter 2017 in the fair. Furthermore, companies such as Abraham Moon & Sons Ltd, Dechamps Co, Dormeuil, Holland & Sherry Ltd, Huddersfield Fine Worsteds, Italy Bokin Group Ltd, Loa Hai Shing Co Ltd and Scabal NV/SA can also be found in this zone.

In addition to the new and returning companies in this zone, the fair’s inspiring fabric design gallery Verve for Design will once again gather industry-leading design studios from Australia, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Russia and the UK to present their newest designs. The studios Alex & Kate from Korea and Nova Design Co Ltd from Thailand are just two of those debuting their original textile pattern designs in the zone. Nova Design will showcase an innovative range of fashion designs with a focus on ladieswear, menswear, swimwear, lingerie, sportswear and active wear, while Alex & Kate will feature a spectrum of European textile designs from France, Italy, Switzerland and the UK. What’s more, Amanda Kelly Design Studio, Design Union, Fairbairn & Wolf Studio, Longina Philips Designs, New Age Srl and Solstudio Textile Design are some of those already confirmed to return this edition.

New Hong Kong Pavilion alongside six returning Asian Pavilions

Alongside SalonEurope, a total of seven Asian country and region pavilions from India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, as well as a brand new Hong Kong Pavilion, will showcase an all-encompassing range of innovative products in halls 5.2 and 6.2. Led by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the new Hong Kong Zone will feature 10 exhibitors to demonstrate a diverse range of products including chiffon, net yarn, satin, lace, cotton, velvet and Shandong silk, as well as textile manufacturing technologies.

The Japan Pavilion organiser Japan Fashion Week has also announced details of this year’s pavilion. Its Senior Director Mr Akira Kawashima explained: “This time, we will be hosting a total of 49 companies, including 10 new participants, including well-established manufacturers from textile-producing regions, specialised wholesalers and SMEs. They will showcase natural and synthetic fibres together with various blended and processed fabrics, and all utilise cutting-edge technology and express the latest trends through their products.” Some of the new Japan exhibitors include fine wool fabric manufacturers Hayazen Textile Co Ltd and Otsu Keori Co Ltd, lace manufacturer Mizorogi & Co Ltd, as well as denim manufacturer Sakamoto Denim Co Ltd.

The exhibitor and product line-up at this year’s Taiwan Pavilion is also noteworthy, and exemplifies Taiwan’s strength in high-performance functional fabrics. Far Eastern New Century Corp (FENC) will unveil its award winning product DynaFeedTM, which is a smart textile solution using advanced conductive polymer matrix. According to FENC, this solution can measure heart rate and motion data in a simple and cost efficient manner. Another of FENC’s highlighted products is the company’s self-developed 100% bio-polyester T-shirt. New Wide Enterprise, meanwhile, is displaying high-performance knitting fabrics for outdoor and active wear. Its high-performance blended fabrics can provide UV protection, thermoregulation, luminous and anti-microbial functions. Other leading Taiwan exhibitors to feature include Dabus Co Ltd, Damon Fashion International Co, Keen Ching Industrial Co Ltd (KCC) and Sheng Ye Textile Trading Co Ltd.

Eight Group Pavilions organised by the industry’s foremost leaders

Besides the country and region pavilions, eight Group Pavilions led by some of the industry’s largest firms including DuPont, Hyosung, INVISTA, Lenzing and Oeko-Tex, as well as the Korea Textile Trade Association (KTTA), the Korea Chemical Fibers Association (KCFA) and Gyeongbuk Natural Color Industry Institute (GNC) will feature a wide range of cutting-edge natural and synthetic fibres and yarns, as well as creative fabrics in halls 5.2 and 6.2. The Hyosung Pavilion, for example, will mainly exhibit products under its functional spandex brand creora. Moreover, exhibiting in the KCFA pavilion, Huvis will display its new collection of special polyester yarns and fabrics for fashion garments, causal wear and sportswear, while Toray Chemical Korea will introduce the company’s specialised polyester filaments: AIRCLO-M branded hollow yarn with 60% hollow ratio, and SPY-F branded polyester stretch yarn.

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2016 is co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Centre.